Euphorbia pulcherrima

Description

A shrub. It grows about 3.5 m high. The trunk is woody and brown. The branches are angular. The leaves are large. They are oval to sword shaped and have 12 teeth on either side. They are 20 cm long. They taper to the tip. There can be lobes along the edge. It usually drops its leaves as flowering begins. The bracts are large and red. This gives the flower cluster the appearance of one large flower. The bracts can also be white or yellow. The flowers are small and greenish yellow. The fruit is a small capsule with 3 lobes.

Edible Uses

The leaves have been eaten as a flavoring, and the flowering shoots are also eaten.

Traditional Uses

Caution: All Euphorbias or spurges have irritating sap and many have chemicals that can cause cancer. The leaves have been eaten as a flavouring. The flowering shoots are also eaten.

Known Hazards

Poinsettias are popularly, though incorrectly, said to be toxic to humans and other animals. This misconception was spread by a 1919 urban legend of a two-year-old child dying after consuming a poinsettia leaf. In 1944, the plant was included in H. R. Arnold's book Poisonous Plants of Hawaii on this premise. Though Arnold later admitted that the story was hearsay and that poinsettias were not proven to be poisonous, the plant was thus thought deadly. In 1970 the US Food and Drug Administration published a newsletter stating erroneously that "one poinsettia leaf can kill a child", and in 1980 they were prohibited from nursing homes in a county in North Carolina due to this supposed toxicity. An attempt to determine a poisonous dose of poinsettia to rats failed, even after reaching experimental doses equivalent to consuming 500 leaves, or nearly 1 kg (2.2 lb) of sap. Contact with any part of the plant by children or pets often has no effect, though it may cause nausea, diarrhea, or vomiting if swallowed. External exposure to the plant may result in a skin rash for some. A survey of more than 20,000 calls to the American Association of Poison Control Centers from 1985–1992 related to poinsettia exposure showed no fatalities. In 92.4% of calls, there was no effect from exposure, and in 3.4% of calls there were minor effects, defined as "minimally bothersome". Similarly, a cat's or dog's exposure to poinsettias rarely necessitates medical treatment. If ingested, mild drooling or vomiting can occur, or rarely, diarrhea. In rare cases, exposure to the eye may result in eye irritation. Skin exposure to the sap may cause itchiness, redness, or swelling. It can induce asthma and allergic rhinitis in certain groups of people.

Distribution

A tropical plant. It is damaged by frost. It suits subtropical regions. It suits hardiness zones 9-11. In XTBG Yunnan.

Where It Grows

Africa, Asia, Australia, Burkina Faso, Central Africa, Central America, China, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, East Africa, Easter Island, Gabon, Haiti, Hawaii, Indochina, Indonesia, Malawi, Malaysia, Mexico*, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Niue, North America, Pacific, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Rotuma, Sao Tome and Principe, SE Asia, Slovenia, Thailand, Tonga, USA, Vietnam, West Africa, West Indies, Zimbabwe,

Cultivation

Plants can be grown from seeds or cuttings. It can be used for living fences or hedges.

Notes

There are about 2000 Euphorbia species. Most Euphorbias have sap which irritates the skin.

Synonyms

Also Known As

Božična zvezda, Christmas flower, Denok, Ganaing-kyetthayay, Godong ratjun, Kastuba, Kayu merah, Lalupaate, Mexican Flame Leaf, Pohon merah, Puring benggala, Ywt-hla

References (31)

• Allg. Gartenzeitung 2:27. 1834
• Bodkin, F., 1991, Encyclopedia Botanica. Cornstalk publishing, p 464
• Borrell, O.W., 1989, An Annotated Checklist of the Flora of Kairiru Island, New Guinea. Marcellin College, Victoria Australia. p 75
• Brickell, C. (Ed.), 1999, The Royal Horticultural Society A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants. Convent Garden Books. p 430
• Brown, D., 2002, The Royal Horticultural Society encyclopedia of Herbs and their uses. DK Books. p 209

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